Flushing apparatus.



L. H. HANDY.

FLUSHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2,1918.

1,292,313. Patented J5n.21;1919.

WITNESS: IN VEN TOR.

Z4 2%: if;

A TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT o EIcE.

LUCIEN H. HANDY, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FLUSHING APJPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 21, 1919.

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 209,846.

paratus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of toilet flushing-apparatus of that type which comprises a valve mechanism with a balancing fluid chamber upon the relief of the pressure in which the outlet valve opens for the flushing operation and gradually closes again, thereby determining the period of flush which is ended by the restoration of the fluid pressure in the balancing chamber.

Mv invention has for its princlpal object the installation of a flushing apparatus of this type, in connection with relatively small water service pipes, such as are commonly found in all buildings, thereby avoiding the provision of specially prepared pipes of suflicient diameter to insure the volume of water necessary for flushing. Other objects and advantages of the apparatus will hereinafter fully appear.

My invention consists in the novel flushing-apparatus which I shall herein describe in connection with the acompanying drawing in which the figure is a sectional elevation of the apparatus.

1 is a shell, which at one side near its lower portion has an inlet 2, and at its bottom, an outlet 3. In the wall opposite that in which the inlet lies is a by-pass 4, the lower end of which communicates withthe outlet 3, while its upper end registers with a passage 5 1n a head 6, fitted to the top of the shell 1, and held in registering relation by a dowel pin 7. cap 8 screwed to the upper end of the shell covers the head 6. In the lower portion of the shell 1 is formed a seat 9 for the mainvalve 10, which controls the outlet 3 and normally cuts ofl said outlet from communication with the inlet 2. The main valve 10 I has a stem 11 which is connected with the connection at 12 permits the free movement otf tlhe piston 13 without tendency to bind or s 1c To the top of the piston 13 is fitted an adjustable screw stop 14, the function of which is as usual to define the length of stroke of the piston, which by the displacement of the water above the piston, determines the pe- In the head 6 is formed a port 15 with which the passage 5 of the head communicates. This port opens into the shell 1 and is controlled from below by a pressure relief valve 16 the stem 17 of which passes upwardly through a packing gland 18, and terminates in a push button head 19 exposed for operation in the top of the cap 8. This push button indicates one of the usual formsof connections for operating the valve 16, though it will be understood that any usual or suitable connection may be employed.

The lower extremity 17 of the relief per portion of the shell 1, above the outlet 2, is made a constricted fluid pressure port .21, the size of which is predetermined by the requirement of filling the shell with fluid, between the piston 13 and the pressure relief valve 16. 22 is a member of the apparatus whic from its function may be termed a flushing tank. It is, however. an enlarged part of the pipe system, of sufiicicnt capacity, and is a closed vessel of the system. It receives in its bottom a nipple 23 which through a connection 24, communicates with the pipe 25 of the main water-supply. This pipe is fitted with controlling cook 26. One of the arms of the connection 24 is plugged at 27, and with another arm is fitted, by means of a packing connection 28, a tube 29, the other end of sid tube communicating through a packing connection 30 with the constricted fluidpressure port 21 of the shell 1.

The flushing tank, vessel or compartment 22 also receives in its bottom, a nipple 31 which by an elbow 32 connects with-a pipe 33, the other end of which is fitted to the inlet 2 of' the shell 1.

In practice and to fully carry out the intent of the apparatus the main water-supply pipe is relatively small, say a pipe, such as is commonly found in the water systems of buildings, so that such pipes may be utilized, thereby avoiding the necessity of special supply pipes of greater capacity. But the flushing pipe 33 of the apparatus is a larger pipe of such capacity as may be determined upon, say 1?; inch, for its proper function.

In the communication of the tube 29 with the connection 24 is interposed a safety screen 34 of a mesh smaller than that of the constricted port 21, say for example, if said port be a hole of 1 g inch diameter, the screen may be 100 mesh. This insures the non-stopping up of the port by foreign particles; and in case the screen needs cleaning, the removal of the plug 27 of the connection 24 will afford access of the finger or a small brush to reach the screen surface, but it will be noted that the screen is so placed with relation to the flow of water to the flushing tank 22 that it will be automatically cleansed. The outlet 3 of the shell 1 is to be suitably connected with the toilet bowl to be flushed.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows I In normal condition, water from the main supply pipe 25, entering the closed tankmember or compartment 22, compresses a body of air therein, and the water also fills the flushing pipe 33 and its pressure is imposed upon the outlet valve 10 to hold it closed and also is imposed upon the under side of the piston 13, but without lifting the latter, for the pressure from supply pipe 25 is at the same time imposed through the constricted port 21 on top of said piston, and said pressure also holds the relief valve 16 closed.

Now by pressing in the push button 19 to cause the relief valve 16 to open its port 15, the balancing pressure above the piston 13 is relieved through said port and the passage 5 in the head' 6 and the by-pass 4 in the wall of the shell, so that the pressure from the tank member 22, through the flushing pipe'33 lifts the piston 13 and the main valve 10 to open the outlet 3, whereupon the flushing volume of water from the tank 22 and pipe 33 passes through the outlet to the toilet bowl.

The relief valve 16 having been closed by the spring 20, and the space between said valve, and the lifted piston 13 having been 10, thereby stopping the flushing flow and restoring the normal condition, the water from the supply pipe meanwhile again entering the flushing tank 22 and compressing the air therein.

By closing the cook 26 in the main watersupply pipe 25, and pushing in on the button 19, the whole system may be drained of water; and again filled with air to supply any loss thereof, whereupon the cook 26 may be opened again and the system restored to operative condition.

In addition to the advantage of installing this system inconnection with relatively small supply pipes thereby avoiding the necessity of special large pipe, the following benefits may be noted. The wholly closed system tends to noiselessness. The closed tank member is sanitary in thatno body of water is exposed to collect foreign matter,

or for children to reach and play in. It is automatic in action, without the use of- .and operating said main valveand exposed below to the fluid pressure from the inlet; a relief-valve controlling the communication of the by-pass with the shell interior; means for opening said relief-valve to relieve pressure through -the' by-pass and thereby permit the main valve to open the outlet under the fluid pressure from the inlet and to establish the communication of the inlet with the outlet; a closed flushing tank incorporated in the fluid supply connections; a main-supply pipe leading to said tank; a pipe communicating with said main supply-pipe at a point prior to its connection with the tank and also communicating with the shell interior through a constricted port, at a point between the main valve piston and the relief-valve; and a flushing pipe lelalading from the tank to the inlet of the s ell.

2. In a flushing apparatus and in combination with a controlling-valve mechanism of the balanced relief-pressure type substantiallyas described; a main supply pipe communicating through a constricted pipe'communicating with the main supply In testimony whereof I have signed my pipe and with the outlet of said valvemechname to this specification in the presence of an sm; and a closed flushing chamber incortwo subscribing witnesses.

porated' in the communicatlon between the LUCIEN H. HANDY. 5 main supply pipe and the fiushingpi e at Witnesses: I

a point beyond the communication 0 the WM. F. Boo'm,

supply-pipe withthe valve mechanism. D. B. RICHARDS. 

